2009 marks an exciting time for avid Sims fans as the Sims 3 game is to be released onto shelves globally. So what does it mean? How is the new Sims going to be different and how will it succeed its predecessors? The answer to that is that while you may have seen a lot of previews of greatly enhanced graphics and animations for the Sims 3, the method of game play has equally improved!
If you have been a Sims player from the beginning you’ll remember how simple creating a Sim was in the first edition. Physical features were completely uncustomisable then, but in the Sims 3 players can customise everything from weight and height to which shoes to go with which outfit. The personality of each Sim is also just as flexible and detailed as their dimensions. Players of the new Sims game can choose favourite colours and foods along with personality type; whereby a Sim might be ‘neurotic’ and ‘energetic’ or ‘charismatic’.
Things get a little complicated when considering the new Sims’ time frame. In the third edition there will be no load screens between lots, so if you want to visit the shops then you will watch your Sim walk there while life in your house carries on as normal. Any other Sims that you are not playing with will continue ageing. While this is very different to the Sims 1 and 2, the method of play (commanding your Sim in order to fulfil aspirations and keep their needs bars full) is much the same, with the main difference being that ‘wants and fears’ will be called ‘dreams and promises’ in the Sims 3.
So when will the new Sims game be here? When can we buy it?! No-one but Maxis and EA Games know for sure yet, but we know that it’ll be sometime in 2009. Shame we can’t fast forward real life eh?